Folding bed



' A. 0' SMITH.

Dec. 19 1922.

FOLDING BEo FILED JULY 18. 1921.

Patcntedl ec. 129, i922;

i i' l. ii -E irtEttZiZ v.83 as.

An'rnUncAnrIELn SMITH, or Los nnsnnns, cnnironnra.

For-nine nnn.

Application filed July 18, 1921. Serial No. assess.

Angeles and State of California, have in-; .vented new and useful Improvements in I Folding Beds, 01'' which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to a folding bed and particularly pertains to a bed adapted to be folded into a compact form for transporting. I i

An object 01 the invention is to provide a bed of the above character that is particularly adapted for use by motorists, campers and others requiring a bed that ma y be compactly folded and is of light weight and readily carried.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed of the above character embodying a foldable frame or support of lazy-tong construction and a canvas stretcher adapted to be stretched over the frame, the beam members forming the frame being disposed relative to the normal stresses created by weight upon the stretcher to provide extreme rigidity. I r i 1 Another object of the invention is to provide a folding bed of the above character ing fastenings of any kind and inwhich all parts are'secured togetherand cannot be misplaced. r y

The invention is illustrated bv the accom panying drawings. in which:.

Figure 1 bed in its fully erected form, showing apart of the stretcher broken away to reveal underlying parts r f I Figure 2 is a view inside elevation of the frame in its partially folded form.

Figure 3 is a view end elevation of the frame partially folded. v

Figure 4: is a view in enlarged detail section as seenon the line 4.+L of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail in perspective of a tie rod. Figure 6 is a detail. in section seen on a line 66 of Figure 1. More specifically 5 indicates a foldable frame adapted to be expanded to serve as a support for a stretcherG which is normally drawn taught across the frame. The stretcher may be of any suitable construction adapting it for this purpose but is here shown as ends oi the struts.

1s a view in perspective otthe comprising a flexible sheet of canvas or other suitable material which is provided at its ends withtransverse rigid cross bars 8, to which the ends of the sheet are secured. The frame is formed of two parallel side members 9--9 which comprise a plurality of struts 10, hereshown as four in number arranged in lazy-tong construction. The struts are pivoted together inpairs at their centers by means ottbolts 11, passing there-v through. The lower ends of the struts are designed to rest on the surface upon which the frame is placed and afiords a three point support for each foldableside member; the lower connected ends of the struts bearing on the surface intermediate the lower free The pivotal connections oittliese side members adapt them to be readily folded along the horizontal plane as shown particularly in Figure 2. The'side members are held against erqaanding beyond therequisite length by means ota tie 12, whichis formed of two metal strips 13 pivoted together adjacent their'ends to permit of the tie being folded at its center when the members areftolded. One oi the pieces 13 is provided with a lug 1% adapted to ene "the other piece when the tie is fully e. tended, to prevent any tendency of the in which the frame may be folded or e:-:-' panded without the necessityo'f disconnect-- tie to buckle downwardl lhe two side members means of a pair of foldablebraces '15 which comprise tour crossed members 16 formed nreferablyof metal strips and pivoted at the point where each two members cross as well as pivoted to each other adjacent their inner ends by means of rivets 16, the frame thereby being foldable in its transverse dimension as shown by Figure 3. Each foldable of the frame. are held spaced apart the requisite width by brace is disposed on the same plane as the struts ot the side mem ers and each lower end 17 of the brace 18 pivotally secured to one oi the struts by pivots 17" and is placed between the pivoted ends whichrest upon the ground at the center ofthe frame. The upper ends of each brace on either side carry collars 18 which are pivotally connected to thebrace niember by pivots 18 and. loosely encompass the strut and are slidable thereon. Inasmuch as the distance between each upper and lower end of the brace increases as it is folded this collar allows the, upper end to move along the strut relative to the other end which is fixed relative to the strut. This construction permits of the braces being folded without being disengaged from the frame and thereby permits of the frame being folded upon its transverse dimension so that the entire frame may be folded to 00- cupy the minimum space. V

When the frame is erected the stretcher is fixed thereto in any suitable manner but for this purpose the bars-8 are provided with round ends 19, adapted to enter corresponding holes 20, provided in the upper ends of the side members of the frame. To permit of using relatively light cross bars in the stretcher without sacrificing strength the stretcher is provided with a pair of truss rods 21 pivotally connectedto the cross bars at the center thereof by a boit'22 and provided at eitherend with a wingnut 23. As a means for securing these truss rods to the frame slots at are providedin the upper ends of the side members.

To fold the bed the wing-nuts which abut against the side members of the frame shown particularly in Figure 4, are loosened braces to collapse, while the collars 18 being i slidableupon the struts of the side members allow this brace to collapse gradually until the entire frame occupies the minimum space. The stretcher may be wrapped around the folded frame to form a compact bundle to facilitate transporting.

As a meansfor adjusting the extent of opening of the lazy-tong, the vtie strips 13 are formed with a series of perforations 25 adjacent their outer ends with one of which each bolt 11 is engaged according to the length of span ofthe tie desired. f

In order to prevent sagging of the stretcher as by springing the struts, a second tie member 26 is provided for each frame 9 which comprises a pair of rods 27-28 pivoted togetherat 29 and havinghooks 30-31 at their outer ends adapted to be engaged with the cross pieces 8. The tie member 96 is arranged to seat on the bolt 32 by which the upper portions of the inner struts are connected together; the tie being disposed between the struts, as shown in Figure 6, and the wing nut 33 tightened to clamp the tie rod between the struts. This arrangement supports the tie rods against depression and against being bent at the pivot 29, and also holds them against side movement;

I claim: "1. In a folding bed, a flexible sheet, a

transverse bar secured to each end of said.

sheet, a pair of side frames, each comprising a pair of crossed struts pivotally'connected together with the pair of struts pivoted to gether to form lazy-tongs, saidti'ansverse bars being carried by the end portions of said frame members and a pair of tie members connectingthetransverse bars for limiting the spread of the lazy-tongs.

2.111 a foldingbed, a flexible sheet, a

transverse bar secured to each end of said sheet, a pair ofside frames, each comprising a pair of crossed struts pivotally connected together with the pairs of'struts pivoted together to form lazy-tongs, said transverse bars being carried by the end portions of said framemembers, a pair of tie members connecting-the transverse bars for limiting the spread of the lazy-tongs,and means for clamp'ingsa-id tie rods relative to theiazy:

tongs. I I

3. In a folc ling bed, a fiexiblesheet, a cross bar at each endof said sheet, a pair of lazytong' frames, means for detachably connecting said cross bars to the end portions of said frames, pairof tie rods having hooks at their outer ends adapted to engage the cross bars, and means for clampingsaid tie rods to said lazy-tongs. r I

4:."In a folding bed, a flexible sheet, a cross bar at each end of said sheet, a pair of lazy-tone; frames embodying strutsv having ,openingsto receive the ends of said bars and truss rods connected to the cross bars and means for adjustably connecting said't russ rods to the lazy-tongs.

ARTHUR GARFIELD snrrn. 

